Japanese peanut ping-pong game



Jan. 18, 192,7. 1,614,471

A. T. HAYASHI JAPANESE PEANUT PING PONG GAME Filed August 18. 1926 2Sheets-Sheetl E' .1. 6, A W S1 1,0 1 11 #fl-#- T--f 151%. I :u 18 O G C`O 14/@1655300000 ,A n i; v19 @f `106,@ m 8,

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Jan. 18,1927. 1,614,471

A. T. HAYASHI w JAPANESE PEANUT PING PONG GAME Filed August 18. 1926' 2Sheets-Sheet 2 nde ZHaLqaJz z',

I' IRI/tenan' Patented Jaa. 18,1927.

4UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcl-z..

ANDREW 'l'.IHAYASHIQOF VENTNOB, NEW JERSEY.

JAPANESE YEAN'UT PING-PONG GAME.

l.Aplzolicaticn led August 18, 1926. Serial No. 129,907.

pong consists of a table that may ormay` not be inclined and is providedat its far end, or lower end, with a plurality ofholes in series behindone another and the object- -l of the game is to roll a ball down thetable and have it drop in some of the rearmost holeswhich, of course,are protected by the ones in front of them, and after the ball has beenrolled a number of times, designating l numbers for the holes in whichthe ball has settled, are added and a prize or favor given to theplayer, commensurate with the total score thus obtained.

.One of the objects of the present inven- 2" tion is to provide a boardor table set at an incline `and also provided with a plurality of holesnear its lower end, the holes bein in a diamond formation, that is, onehole, tien two, then three, up to five'and then in the inverse order.Two guideways extending from the line of greatest number of holes to thefar end are provided, and under the holes there are placed a pluralityof electrical spring contacts. There is also provided a foot boardextending vertically from the rear end which is provided with a numberof lights in the same formation as the holes at the rear end of theboard, and these lights or lamps are individually operated by 485 anobj-ect settling in a hole in the board thus designating in which holethe object has dro ped.

till another object of the invention is to provide the board or game asabove mentioned, and to further provide an object to drop in the holesthat will not travel in any strai ht ,line or predetermined path, suchas W en a spherical object' or ball is rolled down an incline.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the traveling objectin the form of a huge peanut' in which is encased a heavy wei ghtwhichmay be spherical in shape. As the casing forthis weight is in the shapeof .50 a huge 'peanut' and the ends are irregular,

when the peanut is liberated at the upper' end of the board it willturnover end for.

end, but instead of rolling in a direct path, it will zigzag not onlydown the board,

.l but also partly across the same and never Il take the same coursetwice in succession.

i Still another object of the invention is to provide a table with aseries of holes therein and also aseriesof lamps at its end,l which areelectrically operated b'y the peanut dropping in any of the respectiveholes. Some of the holes will be designated by a red light while othershave a blue light to designate them, which colored lights will havedifferent values or counts when adding `up the total score.

Still another object of the invention is to provide 'a game whereininstead of using an ordinary ball, an irregular shaped object is used,preferably in the shape of a hugev peanut and havin irregular ends inwhich there is a weight w ich is free to move longi-l tudinally of thepeanut and slightly later' ally so that skill does not enter'into thegame, but mere luck or chance is the conf; trolling feature. t i

With these and other objects in view, the` invention consists in certainnew and novel arrangements and combination of arts as will behereinafter more fully descri d and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now more particularly to the drawin showing a preferredembodiment of my invention. v

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the board or table showing arrangement ofthe formation of holes and lamps.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the foot board and the lower part ofthe table being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showin the wiring arrangement forthe/holes an the lights.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section view showing the peanut within one ofthe holes and` operating a contact member to light a light.

-Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the weight in dotted lines enclosedwithin the shell of the peanut. n

Fi 7 is a cross sectional view thereof showing the weight within theshell..

Fig. 8 is a-view showing how the object resembling a peanut isassembled, and

Y Fig. 9 shows a chart of how the points may be counted for thedifferent lights by the rolling object.

Referring now more specifically to Figs.

the legs 1 and braces 2 and the top 3,and it is to be noted that thelegs at the forward,

end ofthe table are longer than the rear legs so that the top will beinclined toward its rear or far end. At the near end of the top 3 thereis shown a compartment'4 for holdin the movable objects which will behereina ter designated as peanuts 5. iA short distance below thiscompartment there is a line 6 and printed on the table by this line arethe words Start here. The edges of the top are limited by the sidepieces 7, while near the rear end are the two guides 8, which are placedsubstantially in V formation so that when the peanut 5 is liberated atthe top ofthe table, if it should pass the holes or openings 9 (shortlyto be described), as far as the point 10, it will strike against theguide board 8 and drop into some one of the rearmost holes.

At the rear end of the table I provide a foot board 11, that is providedwith -a plurality of lamp sockets 12 in which may be placed the lampbulbs 13, and as may be seen in this Fig. 3 different colored bulbs maybe interspersedbetween the ordinary white bulbs.

Referring for the moment to the holes 9 in the board, it will be seenthat theyrun in series from one hole to five holes and then again inseries to one hole, the outline of the holes being that of a diamond. Inthe same manner the sockets 12 are arranged on the foot' board 11, butin this instance, of course, the board is a vertical one and the diamondformation is in a vertical plane rather than nearly in a horizontal one.

Referring now for the moment to Fig. 4, I have shown in a diagrammaticway the manner ofsynchronizing the holesv with the lamps, that is, sothat when the anut 5 drops, sa into the first hole 14 of the series ofho es 9, it will light the lowermost lamp 15 of the series of lamps 13.

The sockets 12, Fig. 4, it will be noticed, are connected by a commonlead 16, that is,

` the lead is connected to one side of every one of the sockets and theline wire 17 is connected to one end of this lead and is also connectedto a'socket or switch on the local current supply. v

`In the `same manner there is a metal strip 18 that extends beneath allof the holes and forms a common lead as may be seen in Fig. 4, whiledirectly over this common lead there will be in each instance, a movablecontact 19 which is in the form of a spring finger of brass which formsa good conductor so that when the peanut falls into the hole 14 thefinger 1,9 will contact with the common lead or strip 18. The inner endof the finger 19 has the wire or lead 20 ex' tending therefrom and overto the other side of the lamp 15, therefore, a dropping of the peanutin, say the hole 14 closes the circuit as will be readily understood andthe lamp 15 on the base board will light up. In the same manner al1 thelamps and lights are connected and operated.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the light wires and line wire as placed beneath asmall substructure 21 of the top 3 and it will be understood that thesewires might be under the sub-structure or above the sub-structure, thisform of fastening means for the wires being shown to illustrate a' formof circuits only, the objectof course, being to have a common lead forthe holes and a common lead for the lights and a separate spring fingerelectrically connected and placed beneath each of the individual holesso that when the peanut drops in any of the holes it will engage aspring finger contact, and light the light on the board that correspondsin position to the hole in the table.

Referring now to one of the most important parts of the invention and toFigs. 5 to 8 inclusive, there is shown the peanut which comprises ashell divided longitudinally thus forming the upper half 22 and the lower half 23. Both halves are provided with a smooth edge 24 and one halfof the Vshell about its edge is a little smaller in external diameterthan the other so that one edge may fit within the other as clearlyshown in Fig. 7. After the two halves are slightly telescoped or wedgedtogether, a

heavy piece of about the edges 1n position.

Before these shells are assembled, however, a heavy steel ball 26`isplaced within the shell, the ball being slightly less in diameter thanthe cross section of the peanut s( that it is free to move from end toend o the shell'and slightly laterally of the same.

The outer ends 27 of the peanut are purposely irregular in shape andoutline so that when the peanut is liberated atA the starting line 6 itwill by no means just turn over end for end and travel in a straightline, but on the other hand, due to its irregular shape, and the looselycontained ball, the peanut will turn end for end and wabble down theboard, first in` one direction and then in the other and finally dropinto one ofthe holes.

The outer contour of the peanut shell is full of depressions and lumpsto simulate as closely in appearance the ordinary peanut shell, but, ofcourse, on a large scale as the actual length of the peanut is nearly"four inches. i

The shells are made and formed of a very gummed paper 25- is banded totightly hold the two parts heavy compressed paper which I have so faronly been able to secure in Australia, al' though shells made of anystiff bre or paper that will retain the shape and willv stand.

therough and continuous usage to which they are put would'serve the purose.

yAs shown in Fig. 9`there is a c iart showing that if three peanuts areliberated at the upper end of the board and drop in to certain of theholes, which are designated by the blue light lighting'and the red lightand the further blue light liirhtiiig, the count would be 10,000 points,and the highest prize given would go t o the player of the gaine. On theother hand, should the three white lights be lit after the peanuts havebeen liberated and settled in certain ot the holes only 100 points wouldbe counted`for the player oi the game.

Of course, the lamps will stay lighted as long as the peanuts are in theholes and` weigh down the spring fingers or contacts, but as soon as thepeanuts are removed the circuits will be broken and the lights, ofcourse, go out. t

I ain aware that itis old topiovide a series of holes in a board andtohavelights light up when an objectcomes to rest'in-one of the holes, andI am also aware that vit is old to have' small capsules with a Weighttherein in a game and to tilt the board to try and make the capsule turnfrom end to end and make it go into another compartment as shown in thepatent to Worden No. 617,549 of 1899, but it will be" appreciated in thepresent instance that the-table or board is stationary and-that thereisa natural ineline to' it and the moving objectcan be in no waydirected or controlled after it is once liberated or started down thetable.

Furthermore, the object in this instance is of irregular shape,especially at its ends, and when liberated will not travel ina straightline from one end of the table to the holes such `,as in the ordinaryping pong game, but on the other hand it will turn over end for end inits travels, will `wabble first in one direction and then in another,far different from an ordinary spherical object that is rolled along atable either horizontal or at an'inclined plane. v

The game in actual use hasl proved a very popular one due to the factthat the structure and appearance of the movable object is novel and thelighting of the lights has a fascinating appeal.

Furthermore. one who has never played the gaine has just as much chanceto win a y,big prize as one who has practiced or played the game manytimes.

Should, of course, the peanut not come to rest in any ofthe holes, theplayer is allowed to liberate another one.

Finally the peanut Will appear to come to rest in a certain hole only totilt once more, due to the momentum and moving of the ball in thepeanut, and come to rest at its oppiosite end in another one of theholes.

any slight changes might be made Without in any way departing from thespirit` produced in relative y same formatioif as,

the holes in the board and substantially at right angles to the openin sin the4 board, a plurality of electrica contacts res ectively situatedbeneath the said holes an electricall connected with said lights, and anirregu ar shaped object to be liberated at the head of the board, dropin one of said holes and operate one of said` elecl trical contacts tothereby light a corresponding light and reproduce the relative positionof the irregular shaped object.

2. A game comprising a board slanting towards its rear end and providedwith series.` of openings therein, a series of li hts repro- -duced inarrangement and position to the holes in said board, electrical springcontacts beneath each of the said holes and electrically connectedrespectivelyA with said lights, an irregular shaped object having aWeight therein, adapted to be liberated at the head of thel board and todescend by gravity down the board end over end and in a tortuous path todrop into one of said holes to thereby operate a spring contact andlight a. correspondingl positioned li ht to portray the position o theirregular s aped object. i

l 3. A game comprising a hoard slanting t0- ward itsrear end andprovided with a series ot' holes in definite relation to each other, aplurality of lights reproduced in the same definite `relation as theholes in the board and spring contacts located beneath each of the holesand electrically connected with the respective light, some of the lightsbeing White and other of the lights being of distinguishing colors, aWeighted object with iio irregular shaped ends adapted to be liberatedat the head of the board and descend in a zig zag path down the boardand drop into one ofsaid holes, to`\ thereb operate one of the springcontacts and lig t a correspondiiigly positioned light todiagrammaticall show in which hole the object has droppe 4. An amusementgame comprisin 'a board positioned at an incline and rovided with a.plurality of holes in arit metical progression at its ar end, a boardhavinv' a plurality of electric light sockets secure thereon andarranged in the same arithmetical progression, spring contacts beneatheach .of the said holes and electrically connected with said sockets sothat an operation'of one contact will c lose the circuit to acorrespondingly positioned socket, diierent oolored electric bulbswithin said sockets, a shell provided with a weight therein and theweight heavy enough to depress the spring contact when it drops int'oone of said holes to thereby vlight a designating and correspondinglight on `the board and dlagrammatically portray the osition of* theshell.

5. A game of the apanese ping pong type comprising aboard positioned atan 1neline and provided with a series of openings therein, a foot boardextending `upwardly on the board and having a plurality of socketscorresponding in arrangement to the arrangement off the holes in theboard, electrical spring contacts beneath the said holes, electricalcircuits extending respectively from the said contacts to said sockets,a movable object in the form of a huge peanut having a shiftable weighttherein and said peanut adapted to pursue a tortuous pat-h down theboard, drop into one of said openings and thereby cause a respectivelypositioned light to function onthe base board to simulate the actualrespective position of the peanut in the socket.

6. In a game of the Japanese ping pong type a releasable object comrising two elongated parts of a shell simu ating in appearance a peanutof hu e dimensions, a ball within the shell andv t e shell parts securedtoeach other throughout their length.

7 A movable ob]ect for a game comprising two semi-shells formed ofmaterial rela tively light in Weight, a weight positioned within theshell and the semi-shells fastened together throughout their longerdimension to therebyform a substantial unitary structure, and' saidobject when liberated on the inclined plane descending in a tortuouspath end over end.

8. A device adapted to travel in a tortuous path'down an inclined planecomprising a shell formed of two halves and the two halves divided alongtheir greatest dimension, a weight movable longitudinally andlaterally'of the shell, and the parts of the shell secured to each otherto form a substantial unitary structure. i

In testlmony whereof I atlix my signature.

ANDREW T. HAYASHI.

